Allow us to choose between "Active minutes" or "Active zone minutes"

[ophelialnc]

Please include a data field for real time active minutes, an essential metric you took away to replace with Active Zone Minutes or be able to choose which I want to see. I had to return my Charge 4 because it was missing this info. I just need a field that tells me how many total real minutes in a day I spent in active heart range. I cannot use active zone minutes in the same way.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @ophelialnc, and thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about including "Active Minutes" in addition to "Active Zone Minutes on Charge 4. We rely on feedback like yours to help us develop products and features that we know our community wants to see. If this suggestion receives votes from other customers and gains popularity, it will be shared internally with various teams at Fitbit. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

Watch this space for status updates. In the meantime, try visiting Health & Wellness to talk with other members about all things health and fitness.

[zaacckb]

Yeah. I think these are two separate metrics that need to be tracked differently. Also, when a new Charge 4 device is added to your Fitbit, it clears previous data for active minutes. I think it should be separated.

[Mlaska]

Yes, Active Minutes should be visible on the Charge 4. I am beginning to like the Zone Minutes but the Active Minutes help me to keep moving even if I am not burning fat, cardio or peak minutes. Yes, I can add a zone but why when Active Minutes could do what I want and it exists? I don't need stairs as much as I need Active Minutes. Stairs for showing greater exertion can be seen in the Zone Minutes. So, I use Zone Minutes to increase my exertion (heart rate) over time and Active Minutes show me if I am being consistent during the day. (Note: Yes, Calories also does that but it is difficult to intuitively measure/increase an amount of calories versus doing another minute of active exercise.)

[NickyN]

Restore the ability to record ALL activity minutes for walking. (NOT just the active heart zone minutes)

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi. Thanks for sharing this suggestion about being able to track active minutes along with active zone minutes during your exercises with us. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestions board, so I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to keep the forums organized and make sure the suggestions don't get confused, or split a popular vote. Click on the thumbs-up to show your support and keep adding your suggestions!

[beardown82]

New changes to the active zone time is ridiculously awful. Please change back or at least allow the option to change. (I’ve used Fitbit for over 4 years...but I’m looking at other fitness trackers now...Garmin has some nice models). Thank you.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @beardown82. Thanks for sharing this suggestion about having the option to see the active minutes with us. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestions board, so I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to keep the forums organized and make sure the suggestions don't get confused, or split a popular vote. Click on the thumbs-up to show your support and keep adding your suggestions.

[MyAuthoritaah]

Since the latest firmware update to my Versa 2, the "Active Zone Minutes" metric has replaced the "Total Active Minutes" metric. I'd like to see the option to track both metrics, or switch between the two, within the Fitbit App.

I feel this could be applicable to all devices where "Active Zone Minutes" has replaced "Total Active Minutes".

[melani6]

I agree with the suggestion above. When I updated my Fitbit Versa, my Active minutes disappeared and was replaced by Active Zone Minutes.I am disappointed.

I am on a health program that asks for my active minutes every day. Today I have done about 95 active minutes but my Fitbit tells me I have done only 58 Active Zone minutes.

I purchased the Versa because it has the Active Minute function. Would Fitbit please reconsider and allow an option where I can use Active Minutes so I can report into my Fitness coach. Thank you.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @melani6, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to see "Total Active Minutes" in addition to "Active Zone Minutes". Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[iHiker]

This is my first (and maybe last) post on this forum. Just updated my Versa earlier today and disappointed to see my Active Minutes replaced by Zone Minutes. I was already "on the fence" with Fitbit given the probable sale to Google, possibly the largest abuser of our personal information on the planet! This latest change to our exercise data has convinced me to "move on." I'll be upgrading my iOS mobile device later this year and will move on to the Apple Watch at the same time. I will miss the battery life the Fitbit provides. Thanks for the nudge out of here...

[orracle]

I did the update and discovered that active minutes has been replaced by "zone minutes". I've been tracking my active minutes for years and do not want to stop now! Please offer the choice between the two!

[mstallin]

Well I tried the new Active Minutes update on my Ionic for 2 days.  I cannot honestly say I do not like it.  I preferred the old Active Minutes and Calibration.  I checked with support and their is no plan to offer the old way back.  This does not work with myself and others I work out with everyday.  I am disappointed at this change honestly as a long customer of Fitbit and unfortunately will likely have to look for another device.  It would seem better if this update had been an option and not just the way it is going to be.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @orracle, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to see Active Minutes on exercise details again. Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[iHiker]

As a former business owner (now comfortably retired) I am dismayed at the way this change from Active Minutes to Zone Minutes was done. There was NO "heads up" (to my knowledge) that the change was coming. Once this unpleasant surprise unfolded, it became a small puzzle to unravel in that the "justification" for the change, including the video, is embedded in the Fitbit app. You have to look for it. The way this feature was rolled out was disrespectful to Fitbit customers! Right now, for today, my clock face tells me I have 71 Active Minutes and my Fitbit App counts 125 Zone Minutes. ATTN: If there is a mod reading this, the clock "face" still provides Active Minute count but when I go into "Today" on my watch, I'll get the new Zone icon and count. This just seems sloppy! The good news is for those that want just an Active Minute count, they can still get it from a compatible clock face. As an active 71 year old male who starts his day with a vigorous 4.3 mile walk, up and down some gentle hills, I don't need Fitbit re-calibrating how my active time is counted and calibrated. No Thank You!!!

[Cfo37]

These zone minutes are absolute awful ... I have only recently updated to a versa and now I’m wishing I hadn’t . I cannot track my activity properly when the watch gives you extra mins for whichever zone you’re in , it’s absolutely bonkers . And the parameters it’s changed my zones for heart rate to are ridiculous , I’m in the gym Training heavy weights and according to my watch I’ve not even hit fat burning zone 😫🧐 please revert back or at least give the option . 

[Thomac3]

The Active Zone Minutes, another nasty little surprise courtesy of Fitbit. This is the Sleep Score debacle all over again. Please offer your users - you know, the people who buy your products and pay you, a choice over whether they want to track and set goals for active minutes - which have served many of us nicely for years - or this double-counted garbage data. People have been asking for months. Get on with it and switch it back. 

[harshani]

I agree that activity minutes should be added. Activity minutes are a generalized tracking option. Zone minutes are based on bpm and bpm changes from person to person based on gender, ethnicity, weight etc. So to generalize and set fat burn and cardio zones are wrong. I am a scientist who works on metabolism and you cannot generalize a bpm on a few parameters. 

My bpm is generally low (not a medical condition .... confirmed). I walked for 40 minutes straight at 3.6miles per hour and then upped it to 4mph. I hit 5 active zone time minutes. I took a video where my bpm was barely reaching fat burn. something is not right. 

So I waited for 10 minutes and hit the treadmill again and this time I hit 4pmgh for straight an hour ... once again I was barely reaching fat burn zone, but managed to bag some minutes.

Fitbit sells/markets this as the next 10000 step option. But it really is not. Fitbit has not optimized this counter enough to target a big group of fitbit users. My friend who has been walking for the past two hours (hiking) did not hit one active zone minute. I do 25000 - 30000 steps a day and I am barely hitting the "so called fat burn zone". Fitbit is not correct with their targets. they should give activity minutes which is a more better set option. 

They should at least have activity minutes as an option in the mobile app. When I called fitbit, they told me it is in the app. I went nuts looking for it .... but it was not there. then finally a supervisor told me its not in the app but the computer dashboard. Fitbit customer service had no idea where things were even.

[mstallin]

Ok the scientist above is correct.  This is my second post and third day with this.  It is totally incorrect now.  Setting the stage, I am 60 years old and an executive in with an Academic Healthcare Research organization.  I decide to take today and do a test of the new system as this is important for how I manage health with my physician.  I went over to our sports medicine area and borrowed a different device and put them both to the test.  This included: 1. 4.5 miles of walk/run circuits, 2. 60 minute hot yoga call, 3. 45 minute stretch workout.  The findings were awful for Zone Minutes, but the norm on the other device as I historically saw on my Ionic.  This included what I normally would see for cardiac and peak ranges on the different device.  Believe it or not, with all that I recorded only 60% of what I normally would, also this has impacted the calorie burn rate as well, which was off significantly.  I then went back to sports medicine and recorded what I normally stress test on a treadmill with the trainer to check it out.  Findings:

1. As stated calorie burn rate is way off with this as well

2.  The ranges are not age adjusted one bit as they were in the past and assumes everyone is a 25 year old I guess.  And age and weight matter a great deal (even though I am in great shape).  Per the sports medicine folks who looked at it said the cardio rate is wrong for my age on it and not sure how it got there.  Who knows.

Then I discussed it with my primary care physician who normally monitors my health stats (as I have a reason to) and she was concerned this was not accurate and would not give a good picture for apples to apples over the longer term.  Perhaps Fitbit should have considered those who actively use those stats as they were to monitor for health condition with their doctors.  Additionally, she stated she had actually received a lot of calls from other with the same concerns.  

So, just sharing with the community but clearly I have some products research to do as this will not work for me.  Shame, cause I have been a big fan and have a lot of products.

[Cfo37]

Agreed !! I’m fuming that I’ve just paid £200 for a watch that makes up minutes you’re in a zone by how fast your Heart is going . Absolute jokers

Claire x

[Cfo37]

Completely agree !! The ranges for my heart rate are way off !!! I’m training HEAVY weights and it’s being recorded as nothing 🤷🏼‍:female_sign: Because I am ‘below zones’ it’s a bag of **ahem**e .

Claire x

[JonErrington]

I am sick of updates being forced on to my device. So many features you think are great (but clearly a lot of other people don't) are being forced on to us, when we are the ones who bought our devices. If you want to release an update, great, make it an option to enable and to disable.

[themightylayman]

Please bring back active minutes.

[alexander853]

I don't like the active zone minutes either.  There needs to be a choice, or both need to be available on devices and the app.  It is demoralizing to work out for more than an hour and see no reward, or maybe a few active zone minutes.  Please bring active minutes back.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @JonErrington. Thanks for sharing this suggestion about being able to choose between the Active Zone Minutes and the Active Minutes. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestions board, so I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to keep the forums organized and make sure the suggestions don't get confused, or split a popular vote. Click on the thumbs-up to show your support and keep adding your suggestions.